Sound Tigers' obvious focus: scoring power-play goal

Updated 11:48 pm, Thursday, March 7, 2013

BRIDGEPORT -- The number is not really fathomable, especially not considering where the Bridgeport Sound Tigers' power play was a month ago.

Bridgeport has fallen from second in the league to 10th with the man advantage going into Friday's game in Albany, suffering through a franchise-record 40 chances without a power-play goal. Its previous long this season was 14.

"I'm not very happy. I take it personally," said defenseman Jon Landry, part of the Sound Tigers' top power-play unit.

"It's something I want to get rid of. It's getting to be ridiculous."

And while these 40 include flukes like a nine-second opportunity Wednesday, the streak covers 67 minutes, 7 seconds of time in the past 10-plus games. In that time, Bridgeport's power play has given up two short-handed goals.

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Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Albany Devils WHEN: Friday, 7 p.m.WHERE: Times Union Center, Albany, N.Y.WEBCAST: www.soundtigers.com RECORDS: Bridgeport 23-24-5-4; Albany 24-19-1-10 SEASON SERIES: Bridgeport leads 2-1.LAST MEETING: The Sound Tigers won 5-4 at Atlantic City, N.J., on Jan. 13.ABOUT THE SOUND TIGERS: Bridgeport is 1-5-3-1 in the past 10 games. A franchise-record 0-for-40 power-play drought includes all of those 10 games. ... C Johan Sundstrom (upper body) could return for the first time since Jan. 19. ... LW John Persson (upper body) and D Ty Wishart (lower body) could also return from short-term injuries.ABOUT THE DEVILS: LW Joe Whitney leads the team at 17-18-35; RW Matt Anderson is 11-23-34. ... G Keith Kinkaid (17-11-5, .905 save percentage) is back from a stint in the NHL; Jeff Frazee went up to replace him. ... The Devils are 4-0-0-1 in the past five. ... Albany's 10 shootout losses are one shy of the AHL record, held by four teams, including the 1986-87 New Haven Nighthawks.UP NEXT: Tuesday vs. Springfield, 7 p.m.-- MICHAEL FORNABAIO

The previous record was nine years ago, 33 opportunities. Its longest penalty-kill streak within a season ended that same season, 2003-04, with 36 chances in a row.

Bridgeport had two power plays in Wednesday's overtime loss at Manchester that lasted the full two minutes. The Sound Tigers had some chances; Chad Costello hit a post in the first period.

"We had a couple of good opportunities driving the goal line, getting pucks to the net," coach Scott Pellerin said. "We just missed a couple of rebounds, some shots with traffic."

They also had chances Sunday against the Connecticut Whale. Brock Nelson scored a goal just a few seconds after a penalty expired in that game.

"I think we've gotten chances throughout," Landry said.

"It's just bearing down on those chances we do get, getting pucks to the net, getting pucks through."

The penalty kill, which is 27th of 30 teams, had a good night Wednesday, killing off four Monarchs chances.

GALLANT OUT: Left winger Brett Gallant will miss the rest of the season after surgery on his left shoulder. Gallant suffered the injury Feb. 22 in Springfield, 17 days after signing his first NHL contract.